You are here

Vote Charles Barron June 26: Reject Media Slander Campaign

Barron's supporters are struggling New Yorkers. They have big hopes and dreams but small wallets and pocket books. He must have something going for him for the race to be this close.

[Black Star News Editorial] MEDIA DEMONIZATION COULD ACTUALLY HELP HIM

Over
the last two weeks media have been piling it on Charles Barron,
beginning with an article in The New York Times two Saturdays ago that
led with quotes from prominent individuals and politicians denouncing
Barron as an anti-Semite.

Barron has been a harsh critic of Israeli
policy in dealing with the Palestinians and he often speaks un-diplomatically. So is The Daily News implying
that everyone who supports Barron and votes for him is an "anti-Semite"?
Wouldn't that be intimidating and slandering voters?

An article inThe Daily Beast pointed to Barron's support of Libya's late Muammar
al-Quathafi and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe. As The Daily Beast put it:
"When asked about Mugabe’s forcible confiscation of white-owned farms,
Barron defends the policy as just.."

Very interesting that history
begins at the point when the land is "White-owned" and never mind how
the land was originally acquired through theft and massacres. Also, who
cares that per the 1979 Lancaster House Peace Accord to end the
guerrilla war against apartheid in Zimbabwe, the British, former
colonial power, and the U.S. attending as observers, agreed to provide
the financing to purchase the land from White farmers -- the money never
came as Margaret Thatcher reneged on the deal when she became prime minister.

With
respect to Libya all one has to do is Google search the news to compare
conditions in Libya today with how it was prior to NATO's invasion.
Libya had one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, free
medical healthcare and education, and impressive roads, bridges and
other infrastructure.

Also, non of the major corporate media
outlets focused on the ethnic cleansing of dark-skinned Libyans: the
entire city of Tawargha, once populated by nearly 40,000 dark-skinned
Libyans has been ransacked and emptied. The Wall Street Journal to its
credit broke the story in mainstream media.

Barron did score a major establishment endorsement: from Rep. Ed Towns, the long-term congressman who decided to retire, creating the opportunity for Barron.

But
really? "Bar Barron..."? Is this Deep South Pre-Civil Rights U.S.A?
Apartheid South Africa? Aren't voters supposed to determine who goes to
Congress?

The Daily News said it's concerned Barron would be an
"embarrassment" should voters send him to Congress. Did The Daily News
ever write an editorial proclaiming "Bar Jesse Helms From the Senate?"
that infamous racist? Did The Daily News ever proclaim "Bar Strom
Thurmond From Senate" that notorious racist? Are the concerns
conveniently selective?

Also why didn't The News ever mount a "Bar Barron from the City Council" campaign?

The Daily News also thanked David Duke, the
racist K.K.K. leader for endorsing Barron, hoping this will help sink his
ship of course. This is over-kill but let's consider how this
"endorsement" might have originated.

Who believes David Duke, who may not have even known Barron, woke up
one morning and said: "Hmm, out of all the races going on, I think I
will endorse Charles Barron"? Isn't it more credible that Duke got a
call from someone who told him: "I will make it worth your while if you
endorse Charles Barron"?

The News also editorialized that "New
York’s Democratic establishment is terrified that Barron will win by
mobilizing his hard-core supporters in a low-turnout election."

"Hard-core"
of course is race-baiting and meant to create the specter of fist-pumping Black
radicals or criminal thugs--as in "hard core." In fact, Barron's supporters include many Latinos and Whites,
including teachers and other public employees. Some of them held a June
21press conference, which was ignored by corporate media, to voice
their support and denounce media demonization.

Barron has a strong
connection to the grassroots. Many of his supporters believe he won't be
beholden to big money donors. Also as one supporter, Jitu Weusi, an
educator and entrepreneur points out, Barron is admired for his
"international vision." This includes advocating for strong connection
with Africa as Malcolm X pointed out in his brilliant lecture "You Can't
Hate The Roots of a Tree, Without Hating the Tree."

Barron has over
30 years of, community, organizing, experience. He's on frontline in
fighting for resources for public schools and championing affordable
housing and workers' rights. No wonder he scored the endorsement of DC37 the City's largest municipal employees union. This will help turn out the votes.

Barron
raised a paltry $70,000. His supporters are struggling ordinary New
Yorkers. They have big hopes and dreams but small wallets and pocket
books. Hakeem Jeffries reportedly raised over $800,000. Barron is
outmatched by more than 10-1 in money. He must have something going for
him for the race to be this close.

Sometimes, just sometimes, maybe it's not always about the money. Voters, not media slander campaigns, must decide who goes to Congress.